Unfortunately, Mr. Knox has a well-documented record of demonizing the Catholic Church and the Holy Father in particular. Only a few weeks before his appointment, he called the pope a "discredited leader" whose position on AIDS relief, which was widely misreported, was "morally reprehensible."
That's not the sort of talk that reflects Mr. Obama's stated mission of civility - restated eloquently Sunday at Notre Dame.
Catholic leaders, concerned about Mr. Knox's anti-Catholic bigotry, have called for the president to reconsider his appointment of Mr. Knox and remove him from the advisory council. That's a pretty strident request, but one that most certainly would affirm that this president will not suffer divisive political rhetoric.
I think the president means what he says, and after reading his entire speech - not just the misleading headlines meant to incite news consumers - I think he wants to be a moral leader.
But moral leadership takes courage, including the courage to admit that you chose the wrong person to help steer our diverse nation toward greater cooperation and service and love.